Jeff the Killer: JeffxReader, The Meeting
by FileDescriptor
Summary: Another fanfic. Continuing.
1. Chapter 1

Walking home from school is always the worst.

I'm always alone, because the one "friend", if you can call him that, lives in another neighbourhood in the opposite direction of mine. But it just so happens that Rick and Destri live six houses down from me. And always make sure they walk me home.

Speaking of which, they were late today. I looked behind me down the sidewalk, adjusting my earbuds. There they come now, Rick on his skateboard and Destri on his bike. I wonder what kept them that extra three minutes. Oh well. I thought up a new possible escape route in their absence. Maybe it'll work. Probably not, but might as well change up the game a little bit.

I bolted down the sidewalk, four blocks away from home. The ominous, thick trees loomed over on my right, gloomy and dark in contrast to the bright daylight shining on the road. There were also a lot of bumps and tree roots. Just horrible for travelling devices with wheels. The sound of the plastic wheels on the pavement were slowly overtaking me.

"Hey prick! Slow down, you know the drill!" Destri. I've memorized their voices by now, of course.

Instead of continuing down the sidewalk to imminent and cruel pummeling, I took a sharp right and raced into the dimly lit forest. I could hear the wheels graze to a stop as they watched me go, unsure why I chose to change the plan today. "Where the hell you going, freak? We still don't have the money and you still don't have the bruises yet!"

I tripped on a root, stumbled back up, and continued jumping through the thin trees and nettled ground. Their footsteps were loud and pounding from behind me, and their panting was heavy. "Sounds like you boys need a new diet plan!" I shouted back behind me, still running. "What you gonna do without your rides?"

Apparently I miscalculated how far behind me they actually were. Because just then Destri jumped on my back and sent me sprawling on the ground beneath him. "You damn little pest!" he panted out as he held me down with his knee in my back and one hand holding my wrists tightly. "You were trying to run before we'd had our fun with you, and that's not very nice."

Oh well. It was a good try. At least it created some excitement, but we all knew it was coming. I didn't even bother fighting back, just let Destri sit on me until slow-butt Rick jogged himself over. He must have the lungs of a weasel. I told him so, and Destri laughed. But he didn't let me up.

Destri and I used to be friends. I'd first seen him on the first day of school two years ago, and his whole being had pulled me in. The humourous and dark personality, the piercings, the straightened black hair, that pale skin and white teeth and grey eyes. I'd first met him on the second day, when I got lost on the second level of the school, where he was smoking in the bathroom. And we hit off immediately, because he enjoyed corrupting me and I think I enjoyed being corrupted. That's how I started smoking. I'm trying to quit. It's harder than I thought.

I think we still are friends. But it's a weird friendship.

My mind shot back to the present. "Alright, since we're already so off schedule, let's just start where we would be if you hadn't run your little emo ass off course." Rick raked his foot twice on my head. I tried to move my hand to get the wallet, but due to restraint only ended up nudging Destri's leg. "Destri, it's in the back left pocket," I mumbled through the leaves and pine nettles.

"What?"

"Back left," I stated a little louder.

I felt him shuffle through my pants pocket and slip it out. With one hand still pressing my wrists into my back, he opened the wallet with his teeth. All I could see was the wallet, those white teeth, and his black hair resting over my eyes as he bent over to pry it open. He let out a disgusted sigh. "Ten bucks, man... You need a better job."

Rick kicked me in the back of the head, sending a throbbing wave of pain through my skull. "You got anymore anywhere-"

Crackling from behind me caused him to stop speaking. What was that? "Who the hell is there?" Rick called out. Destri froze over me. I assumed they were both staring into the forest, all alert, because all I could see was a tree directly in front of me. I could imagine Destri's grey, grey eyes peering through that black hair, on edge and ready to run if needed. Rick was still panting though.

Suddenly rocks were being thrown at us. Large-ish rocks. Rocks that could potentially hurt. The only reason I knew was because one hit me on the back of the head and then landed in front of me. HUGE. And ouch. Mannnn, does that hurt... Who the heck is throwing these oversized pebbles?

Rick's shoes ran through my vision towards the street. Destri got off my back and pulled me up by the wrists. "Don't think we're done," he muttered, but still focused on the forest behind us. I turned around, pulling against his hands. He was yanking me back. But I had to see who it was.

Another rock whizzed out of the mist and hit Destri straight through his black hair. He gasped and stepped back, letting me go to hold his head. I could see some blood dripping down his cheek. He didn't need to scream in pain, because his face had it written all over it. "Destri..." He staggered back and ran after Rick, leaving me alone with this dangerous rock-throwing and invisible... thing.

But the rocks stopped when Destri had gone. I heard someone laugh from my right. I whipped around and searched the gloomy trees for a moment before my eyes fell upon the attacker. A boy, pale as the moon with hair as black as a frying pan... wide-open, lidless eyes and a stitched smile carved into his face. I stood there, shocked and speechless, unable to move. My whole body was stiff. Terror? Or curiosity?

The thing came closer to me. The eerie silence hung heavily in the air. It feels like one of those horror movies.

Maybe he'd been in a bad accident. He looked my age, maybe slightly older. Maybe he saved me because he wanted to make a friend. Maybe he doesn't have any.

These are a lot of "maybes".

I decided to make the first move. Towards friendship, I mean. Because he was the one still inching closer to me slowly. "Hi." It was awkward in the silence. "My name is Alex. Who are you?"

"Jeff." His voice was raspy. His dark brown, lidless eyes never left me.

"Thank you for saving me from those guys just now Jeff. I really appreciate it. Oh wait... damn, they still have my wallet... That was all I had until Saturday..."

Jeff's smile was still... carved onto his face. "You seem nice," he stated.

My mind blanked. "Thank you," I whispered back, my heart racing. "I'm glad you think so."

"Alex?"

Both Jeff's head and mine turned to where Destri stood, holding his bleeding head with one hand and staggering to us slowly. His eyes quickly switched from my face to Jeff's. "Who's this?"

"Destri, this is Jeff. He's very nice and think's I'm very nice too." This feels so much like a story. Like a dream. "Jeff, this is Destri."

Jeff pointed a crooked finger at Destri. "You stole his wallet," he husked out.

Destri flinched at the finger, as though it were a knife. "I'm giving it back..." He pulled it out of his back pocket with the one free hand and tossed it to me. "Now, um... I need Alex to take me back home so that he can help me with my head."

I nodded, knowing immediately that Destri was planning to get me out of here. Not only is Jeff somewhat dangerous, but this was just an awkward situation to begin with. "Yeah, he probably needs some help fixing that up. But we can see each other again soon. I like you already, and I've only known you for two minutes."

Jeff returned his stare to me and just nodded. I nodded back, unsure what to do next. "Well, I'll see you around. Maybe Destri will come with me next time too."

Destri sent me a glare, but kept quiet and turned to leave. I started to follow him, but felt myself tugged back forcefully. The force sent me on my back on the ground. Jeff knelt over me. "Meet here tomorrow."

I nodded, feeling that heartbeat race again. His eyes were so close to mine. The pupils were miniscule. "Ok, Jeff. I'll come back tomorrow, don't worry." I didn't ask if I could bring Destri, because I didn't want to get a no. But I needed someone else there...

"Alex-"

Destri was running toward me, hanging back only a few feet away. His stance implied that he would pull out his ninja jujutsu skills that I'd seen him do when he practiced. But this was serious. Jeff never took his eyes off me. I glanced up at Destri and slowly stood. Jeff followed me up all the way, staying close to my face. His eyes were eager and yet... emotionless. Like he forgot how to feel. My breath froze in the air as I panted out this fear and curiosity I held. Jeff was still so close... "I'll come back tomorrow. Don't worry."

Jeff nodded. I turned away and walked toward Destri, trying to keep my pace normal. But my heart was planning to jump out of my chest. I stared at Destri, hoping my eyes showed this fear to let him know how serious this was. He glanced from me to Jeff, and then turned to walk with me when I caught up. Those eyes bore into the back of my head. I could feel it. But when I turned around Jeff had disappeared.

"Destri... he's gone..."

Destri whipped around before grabbing my sleeve and dragging me faster through the woods. "Once we get to the sunlight it'll be better..."

Sure enough when we broke out into the sunlight, the tension completely left my body. Destri also sighed beside me. But looking back into the woods brought it all back...

He stared back as well. I noticed the blood sliding down his neck. "We should get that fixed... Let's go to my place."

He nodded. And I sighed again. Maybe this is a dream. I'll wake up soon.


	2. Chapter 2

When I walked out of my house, Destri was still waiting at the sidewalk, holding his head with one hand and staring back the way we came. "You can come in," I said. The coast was clear.

He turned to me and hopped up the three steps to the front porch. "Thanks for helping me out," he muttered, looking at the ground. He must be embarrassed for having me to help him. That's just Destri. He doesn't like help at all. Everything he can do himself. So I ignored it and just held the door for him. He stepped inside the enormous hallway and waited at the foot of the stairs for me to tell him where to go. "All the way up and to my bathroom," I said, walking ahead of him anyways. I heard him follow. The big house was an embarrassment. And the other people in it. But luckily they weren't home yet.

A sudden rush to my head caused me to stop. Ow... It hurts really bad... Destri rammed into my back. "Hey..." I gripped my head. It'll pass, it's nothing. "Are you ok?"

I breathed out heavily and began walking again. "Yeah. I'm fine. It's nothing." It's fine. Just ignore it.

So we continued through my bare and empty room to the bright white bathroom. "Just sit on the floor," I called back from the bathroom. "I'm sorry there isn't anything else to use." Where is that medical tape...

"No, it's ok." Rustling behind me told me he had sat down and taken off his jacket. As I got the tape and the ointment, I thought about who- what caused the wound on Destri's head. The lidless boy with the bloodred smile carved into his pale face. Jeff. He seemed nice enough. Helping me get my wallet back and preventing Rick and Destri from beating me up to bad.

When I stepped back into the empty white room, I saw Destri had removed his shirt as well. It was all bloody, and his back was bright red. I guess the blood had really been more than I thought... At least he couldn't see it. He would be so freaked out. So I didn't let it show on my face as I knelt before him and parted his hair to see the cut.

"What the-" He'd seen the bloodied shirt. I felt bad for him. It was one of his favourites that he'd gotten at a Pierce the Veil concert. "Oh my gosh... Is it really that bad?!" His grey eyes stared into mine, searching for a giveaway.

I remained as calm as I could. But I was still so lightheaded... "No, it's not too bad. Just a little messy. It spread a bit." I dabbed at the wound gently with some tissues, and he breathed in sharply.

"Man, be careful!" He pushed my hand away roughly and glared at me.

"I'm sorry... You do it then." I handed him the tissue and grabbed a new one for his back. Jeff did all this... Maybe his motives weren't so innocent after all... As I wiped the blood gently off his back, my head started to spin with all these thoughts. I tried to stay in focus and concentrate. Why was Jeff in the woods in the first place? The more I thought about him, the more he scared me... Now everywhere I looked I saw his face. That smile. Those eyes. Staring at me. I'm sure he's watching me somewhere...

Something's not right. "Destri..." I murmured. The world is going grey... "Destri I think something's wrong. I'm feeling really lightheaded..."

He turned around and searched my head. "Did he hit you too?"

"Once. But I didn't think it did anything."

He sighed and reached up to run a finger gently through my hair, feeling for blood. "Idiot. You didn't even bother to check? Let me fix it-"

I pushed his hand back. "Just let me finish yours first, so that you're not still bleeding all over the place. My mom will kill me if she sees blood anywhere." Don't think about her. She isn't worth thinking about right now. Jeff might be. He's somewhat scary. And dangerous. So I finished putting some neosporin on his wound and taping it over with a tissue and the medical tape. As soon as I finished, I closed my eyes and just fell asleep. So tired...

But sleeping didn't do any good. The only thing it did was bring back that memory again... of me in the woods, turning to that pale monster. The tear in his face stretched so high that it showed the skin past his gums. And even though there wasn't any fresh blood, it hadn't healed. It was only scabbed over with a horrible brown and black mess. Those eyes too... The lids cut off. In my dream they were in my hand. Jeff had put them there. They were still bloody. When I turned to run from him, he was standing maybe only an inch from my face. All I could see. Staring into what felt like my soul. A bloody knife in his hand. Who's blood-

Mine. I looked down to see a gaping hole in my stomach. My blood poured out onto the knife and Jeff's white shirt and my jeans and converse and the ground, sliding down my legs... so much blood...

"Dude! Wake up! It's just a nightmare!"

My eyes shot open quickly, releasing me from my thoughts. I was panting heavily, and sweat dripped down my face. Feeling the back of my head, I found that Destri had fixed it up. It was sore to the touch. We were still in the white room. Still in my house. No, I shouldn't have fallen asleep. She'll be home any minute, and probably bringing someone with her. Destri was the only one who knew anything about the situation. Even the information I gave him was vague. But he knew enough to help me out. Enough to understand that it was serious. "Destri," I panted, the dream still running through my head, "can I please crash at your place?"

He nodded, so I stood, gripping his arm, and we headed out the door.

Jeff's carved, bloodied face and his bloodstained t-shirt still played vividly again and again in my mind.


	3. Chapter 3

No...

I couldn't scream. My mouth had been gagged. The forest was so dark, and all I hear was the wind rustling the leaves. I was tied to one of the trees. The rope cut into my chest and the tree dug into my back, sending searing pain ripping through my body. So dark. I glanced up, searching for light. The sky was completely black except for that white circle shining through the trees. Where am I? "Nnnggg..." I rolled my head, trying to adjust for my breathing. My chest hurts... I glanced to my left, peering through the trees for an exit or a sign of another living person. Somebody help me...

And there it was. That pale white face with the bloodred, carved smile jagged across his skin, the black hair a border to blend his face with the darkness. A knife in his hand.

"Go to sleep."

And those eyes. Lidless brown eyes. Staring eagerly into mine. He's reaching out to me with the knife. Scraping it across my face. Pain in my sore cheek told me that he had pierced the skin. He put his free hand over my face as he pressed it in harder. "Nngg!"

"Just go to sleep..."

"Alex! Alex wake up!"

My eyes shot open and Destri's face was just above mine. Worry was written all over it, visible even in the dim light. His computer must be on nearby. The floor is so hard... "Man, I thought you weren't going to wake up. Alex, you're super hot... I think you have a fever."

It took me a minute to realize I was crying. Why am I crying? Why can't I move? "I don't feel anything," I mumbled.

And then the dream came back. That haunting face.

I struggled into a sitting position, glancing around the room. My stuff was in the corner there, by the computer. Band posters covered the walls, and his clothes were strewn across the floor. I'm guessing that they had made the pillow my head was on. Every few seconds his face would come into my head again. I shut my eyes tight, trying to squeeze him out. But he would push back. With that knife. I could even feel the pain in my chest and my cheek, like it had really happened.

"Destri, I keep seeing his face," I whispered, wiping my eyes. His eyes were on me the whole time. There was a lot of sweat too though, so maybe he didn't notice. "He was cutting me up like he was going to eat me..." Destri got up and went into his bathroom. -"and he told me to go to sleep and I was tied up and gagged and in that forest and couldn't move or speak and it hurt so much..."

He came back with some damp paper towels and a couple pill bottles. "These should help," he said, sitting down before me and opening the bottles.

I took the paper towels and wiped my forehead. "Thank you," I said. It was so suddenly cool that it made me lightheaded. "Lay back down, stupid," he said, pushing me down. He handed me the pills, five total, and I swallowed them. Gross. But I felt better already. Until I thought about that dream... Damnit... How had I gotten there in that forest in the first place? How did he get me all tied up? What was he going to do? That knife... Was this like a premonition? Was this really going to happen tomorrow?

"Hey..." Destri nudged my arm. "It was just a dream. It's going to be fine. And I'm there too. Nothing will happen."

His ceiling looks so far away. I don't want to go tomorrow. He's going to kill me. The fever must be taking over, because I was slowly losing sight of Destri's face, black hair, staring down at me. Reassuring.

"Ok. Ok, I know."

He's going to kill me.


	4. Chapter 4

We'd been sitting in this bare spot of the woods for an hour now, waiting for Jeff. I was beginning to think- to hope- that he wouldn't come. Just the image of his face in my nightmares was enough to get my heart racing. After school, on our way here, I'd had to slow down repeatedly because my breathing was too ragged. Destri didn't complain or sigh like he normally would. That's how I know he's really concentrating on something. And this time I know what that "something" is.

But we went into the woods and waited for EVER, and he didn't show up. I picked at some leaves in the dirt, sitting cross legged watching as Destri paced back and forth, agitated and nervous. I felt kind of sorry for dragging him into this. Jeff didn't say he had to come. He could've stayed home or gone with Rick again, and just left me. But I was really really reallllly glad he didn't.

"Maybe he forgot?" I suggest in a hopeful tone. I noted that Destri's shoes had a ton of dried dirt on them. Probably because he's out here with me in this muddy forest waiting for a disfigured, scarred kid instead of at home doing homework. I'll have to clean them sometime...

Destri almost snapped the words at me, "He didn't seem like the kind of person to forget, Alex." I dropped my gaze down to the ground again, still picking at the dead leaves. Destri kept pacing. And we kept waiting. Until finally it was too dark to really see anything, and Destri mumbled on continuously under his breath about stupid kids playing stupid pranks and how stupid fools like myself had to get mixed into stupid jokes like these. "It's all your fault we're out here in the first place," he muttered, pulling me up by one wrist.

"Ow," I winced automatically, rubbing the sore spot with my fingers. I could feel him glare at me, so I didn't look up. Those super dark eyes just can't mess with me right now. Hitching my bag higher on my back, I walked past him without meeting his intense gaze. "Let's just leave... He's obviously not coming."

"Hey." I stopped, but didn't turn around. One wrong move, he could beat me up real bad. And I would let him because I don't care and this is the relationship right now. It's friendship somewhere in there. I don't know what kind of friendship, but I can feel it. It's there. He walked up behind me and just stood there, I think. "I'm sorry I'm being an ass right now," he mumbled. "Everything's really frustrating... and I don't really know how to deal with it."

I sighed heavily, staring into the dark forest. I can't see anything. I wish I couldn't hear anything. The silence is made more prominent by his words shattering it. What... what is that white...

I gasped and stepped back quickly, bumping into Destri. "He's here," I frantically whisper. "That's him..."

And then Jeff comes fully out of the darkness. I can't tell where his hair begins or ends, because it blends so perfectly with the black of night. The ripped smile covered in cracked scabs still leers at me as it does in my dreams... And the eyes. Those are the worst part. They never leave me.

"You brought a friend," he rasps to me. I nod and reintroduce them. "You remember him, right?" I manage, coughing slightly. "From yesterday? When we had to leave-"

"I remember," he interrupts. I gulp and my breaths comes in ragged drags again. Each breath costs me so much effort. The noise has stopped. All of it. The only sounds I can hear are my breaths and his. "You were nice to him even though he stole from you-"

"Temporarily," Destri whispers. His breath flies over my neck.

"-and chased you here and beat you up." Jeff didn't even acknowledge Destri's word. "You're like a loyal pet. You could be my loyal pet. We'd have much more fun than you ever would with him."

...What is this guy talking about? Pet? The shock catches me for a moment, before I stutter out, "H-he's not my 'owner', he's a friend. I can't be anyone's 'pet'." People aren't pets to anyone anymore! That's basically like a form of slavery!

He tilts his head at me and instantly any objective thought I had vanished, replaced by fear and terror. "What is it then that we could share?" he asks innocently.

"Um... We could be friends too I guess." Does he not get it or something? I can feel nervousness erupting from Destri, but this is kind of getting on my nerves that this person doesn't understand.

But Jeff suddenly whines in a very childlike manner that doesn't suit his looks at all. It chills me to the bone. Destri behind me gasps at the sound, grabbing my wrist again. Ouch. But the pain feels good now, pulling me back to reality. "But I don't know how to do that," he whines to me. Is he pleading? Is that hope I see in his eyes?

"Well, I guess... you'll learn in time, with me and Destri," I continued. Get out. Get out of here. Leave. "It's rather dark Jeff. Friends usually bond in daylight. Can I come back in two days? When school next starts?"

Jeff nods slowly, but his lidless brown eyes have a faraway look, as though we aren't there. "Yes," he whispers...

And then vanishes.

"Let's get out of here," Destri says, yanking me along by the wrist again. Ow. Jeff seemed calm but emotional this time. I don't want to see him again. This weekend is going to be torture waiting for it to happen.

I snatch my wrist back from his rough hands, breath still shaking. Partially from speedwalking through the forest, partially from tripping over all the roots in my path, mostly due to fear and nervousness... "Stop doing that," I mumble at him, but let him lead.

The eyes. They'll haunt my nightmares forever.


	5. Chapter 5

On a regular Saturday, I would begin by going to the closest store like Walmart or 7 Eleven or something and buy myself a monster and some breakfast. Taking it out to the middle of the woods along with my homework and mp3, I'd eat half the food under or in this one enormous tree and then get to work. The mp3 lasts a surprisingly long time, so I can usually listen to it throughout the whole day. The other half of my breakfast I'd eat for lunch, and spend the night in that same tree, away from home where I would be yelled at after having to listen to the sounds of my mom and her new boyfriend upstairs or whoever she brings home.

But due to the past events of the week, it is not a regular Saturday. Because the psychologically confused Jeff is now stalking me and seems to reside in the woods, Destri is taking me to the mall with his friends from school. I don't think he actually cares about my safety. He just doesn't want to have my death on his tab if I get killed. Or hurt or something. Whatever Jeff plans to do.

We decided not to tell anyone because he might be autistic or have some other mental disorder, and a family that loves him and would totally kill us for blaming him for being a psychotic killer and saying he's threatened us in the middle of the woods. I mean, he hasn't really threatened us. I don't think. But he told me I was gonna be his pet. What the heck does that mean?

All these thoughts were going through my mind as I followed the group of seven or eight people through the mall, staying behind so that I wouldn't have to interact. They gave me weird glances every once in a while. Destri hadn't even introduced me or anything, just said that I was going to tag along for today. Every once in a while he'd look back to see if I was there, but he makes it look like a job. Like he's babysitting me or he wouldn't be doing it at all. I guess he doesn't want to be embarrassed by me. I'd be embarrassed too. And this way it's better, because they're all acting kind of silly... There are like two girls hanging on one guy, giggling nonstop and screaming and whining and drinking in every word that he says. Destri's pretty popular as well. He seems to be enjoying himself.

There would be a store we passed that I so wanted to go into. But they never seemed to notice or take an interest in it, and I didn't want them to stop for me. So I just ignored the urge to go in and kept following them. Until one store had that band t-shirt I've been looking for like FOREVER. The one that I wanted to get signed at a concert. Really expensive in all the stores I've seen it in, except this one. It was only fifteen bucks! Looking up to the group, already a couple yards away (but still heard by their obnoxiously loud "conversations"), I turned from them and entered the store, eyes on that "I See Stars" shirt hanging on the wall.

The music totally produced a good vibe in me, and I had to resist breaking out dancing and singing right there in the half-empty store. I found my foot tapping or my fingers buzzing in time to the beat, and ended up shuffling to the shirt stiffly to keep from doing so.

It. Was beautiful.

I'm practically drooling over it on my way to the checkout with the shirt in hand and a monster drink from their small drink cooler thingy by the single register. I should work here. It would be so much fun that it'd be worth more than they pay me. DREAM JOB! The girl at the counter was chewing gum loudly, with pink streaks in her obviously bleached long hair that complimented her thin face, and a big bow sitting atop her head. Her eyeliner was so heavy that it was actually starting to run... I would never wear that much. Or advise friends to wear that much. "How may I help you?" she asked, running me over with her eyes for only a moment before returning her eyes to her phone.

I lay the shirt down on the small counter beside the monster and focused on the music. I really really want to work here... "Just this, and I wanted to know if the manager was thinking of hiring?"

She didn't even say anything as she rang up the items before bending over to pull out a sheet of paper from under the counter. "Fill this form and I'll have him look it over. You should get a response in about a week."

Wow. Abrupt. Whatever. I filled the form out on the counter using a pen she tossed in my direction. It took only a couple minutes before I handed it back to her. She took it from me, set it back under the counter, and gave me my monster and shirt in a plastic bag. "Thank you for applying and your purchases, please come again," she said in monotone, but throwing a wink and a smirk at me first before going back to her phone.

I just nodded and headed back out of the store, feeling really happy to be possibly working there and really sad for leaving at the same time. I know where I'm going on the weekends, I thought, rustling around in the bag for my monster. Standing by the fountain at the center of the mall, I opened the drink and sipped it happily. Ah. Ceci est la vie. Pulling my phone out, I saw that it had received a message. I opened it and read, "Where the hell are you?" I could just hear Destri's frustrated voice seething out all over that message. I should probably write back now. The time said it was sent fifteen minutes before. I texted back, "At the fountain", and immediately got the response, "Stay there, idiot."

When he got back with his friends, the look on his face told me he was totally mad at me. But I ignored it and followed them again, past my new favourite store and out the mall into the cold. I was completely safe in that mall. Jeff doesn't seem like such a social bug to me. On the way back to his house he glanced back at me more often than in the mall. I just stared at the ground the whole way, shoving my backpack up higher and taking sips of my monster, avoiding the disgusted stares from the boisterous group. We were all going back to Destri's house where they were going to have a great time in his bedroom. I was going to say in his basement so as not to be a buzzkill. That freak at school that Destri has to babysit.

We were almost there. I turned my gaze to my right, into the forest covered with mist.

Where Jeff was standing.

I stopped in my tracks, my heart freezing for at least three beats as his silhouette lifted his arm and beckoned me with his finger. At least I couldn't see his face and that horrible carved smile. I looked up to the group, still walking and unaware of my sudden stop. Then back to the outline of him. Jeff. Still beckoning with one finger. If I said no, he would sure as heck hurt me. So I stepped off the sidewalk silently, walking through the untrimmed grass into the dim forest, fear sending my heartbeat higher and stronger each time. He was farther away than I thought. When I finally reached him, his face was still hidden from me. I couldn't breathe, or hear anything but my heartbeat in my ears and his raspy intakes of air.

"Come with me," he whispered, sending chills throughout my body. "We can play now."

I only nodded and followed when he began walking away from the edge of the trees, unable to speak or defend myself. My brain wouldn't think properly, only one word thoughts.

Fear. Afraid. Pain. Hurt. Fear.


	6. Chapter 6

Jeff suddenly stopped. Good thing I noticed too because I was only about a foot behind him. His greasy, matted black hair didn't even blow in the breeze flowing slightly. In the trees it felt like night even though just ten minutes ago I'd been walking down the brightly lit sidewalk behind Destri and his friends to his house. Now the leaves of the trees covered the ground, allowing only small holes of light here and there. For some reason I wanted to blame this all on the trees. It's their faults. They've got an evil side and lured me in with their nice facade. Stupid trees. Stupid stupid stupid trees. And stupid stupid stupid me for falling for the stupid trees' stupid acts-

I was jolted out of my thoughts when my phone buzzed in my pocket. Jeff slowly turned around and I took a couple steps back, away from that bloodied face... "What does he want?" he asked. His whole voice sounded like a cough. Who did he mean, "he"? I pulled the phone from my back pocket frantically, trying to appease the kid. It was Destri. "Where are you?" Sent five minutes ago. He would be so freaked out. I looked up at Jeff, not knowing what to say. The shadows hid most of the bloody, lidless brown eyes of his. "Tell him you are at your house," he said. Not questioning how he knew what Destri asked, I immediately texted quickly back to him the exact words, my shaking hands faltering and my breaths convulsing, staggering gasps. What the heck is he going to do to me...

Almost as soon as I'd sent it he replied. "Send a picture." Dammit. He's not taking any risks. I glanced back up at Jeff again, showing him the phone. He didn't even look. "Send him an old one of you at your house," he said. Scrolling through my pictures, I found one of me with a tired smile on my face and my hair all messed up. I must've just gotten out of bed. But this is a really old one. I think my hair is different. Maybe he won't notice. I just sent it without hesitation, trying to take up as little time as possible. His eyes bore into my head the whole time, I could feel them. Without looking into them, I began to slide the phone into my pocket. Before I could his hand whizzed by and hit it from mine, sending it flying into the forest. Staring at the ground and not into his face, I focused on my breathing and my feet. Then his. They only had socks protecting them. "Take the backpack off." I did. It came with a thud to the ground, resounding in the still quiet. Calm down, calm down, I repeated over and over to myself. It'll be fine...

He let out a small chuckle that had my knees threatening to give out. "I can feel you trembling," he whispered into my ear. I flinched back and closed my eyes. My breathing could qualify as hyperventilating right now. "Turn around."

I did as told and turned, still staring at my feet. The cold became suddenly more intense when I couldn't see what he was doing, even though the sunlight tried poking its way through the thick trees. The sound of a knife sliding out of it's case could be heard. I froze. Am I dying? Is this it?

"Take off your shirt."

He doesn't want my clothes to get dirty because... he wants to wear them? What the heck does he want my shirt for? Slowly I removed my jacket and then my shirt, left standing in just my skinny jeans and sneakers, thinking about why he wanted me to do so-

He wants to know where he's positioning the cut. Maybe he's like one of those murderers who likes to have only certain organs of the body and just wants to get it quickly and ditch the crime scene. That's it. I'm dead. Tonight's the night.

I hadn't prayed much in my life. I was Catholic, and went to Church and everything, but it never really "felt real" to me. In this situation, however, whether it was by my own will or by default, I prayed like heck. Even as these thoughts ran through my mind, I couldn't do anything. My body wouldn't respond, I didn't even feel afraid or scared of the pain. All I could do was pray that I hadn't done anything too bad in life and that my mom would be ok and that Jeff would be caught or turn himself in and that my body would be buried properly-

But the knife didn't slice through me. I didn't see it sticking out of my chest. Instead I felt it digging into my back, sliding down to form a curve. I gasped and dropped my head back in pain, clenching my fists. Is he going to take my organs out while I'm _alive_?

"Stay still," he ordered, his breath on my shaking back. I felt sweat forming all over me. The knife left my skin and went back up, digging in again to make a straight line this time. The pain was so intense that I almost fell to my knees. But I kept myself upright, sure that if I did anything out of line I'd be dead. Just think about something else. Think of this as getting a tatoo. Think about having to eat dinner soon, and going back to Destri's and sleeping away in his basement. I'm super tired. I can't wait to sleep. Just think about something else...

A few minutes of killing pain shooting through me later and the knife didn't pierce my skin. I breathed deeply, trying to ease the headache and the hurt. My heart pumped so fiercely in my chest and sweat dripped down my body. "Turn around." I did so without thinking, focusing on ignoring the pain. The light was completely gone. Black spots started to take over my vision. "Don't tell anyone about this. I will kill you and your family." I nodded my head, feeling a tear roll down my face. Maybe it was sweat. Or blood.

I heard that psychotic little kid laugh like a maniac with his crooked, scratchy voice.

"Now you're mine. I enjoy having a live victim."

At this I looked up, but he wasn't there. Nothing was there but the trees and the darkness. Nothing felt real either. Not even me or the leaves under my feet or the wind or the trees or the darkness.

The pain. That part felt real.

I reached back to feel the lower part of my back, the cuts being higher. When my hand came back, it was completely covered in wet, metallic-smelling blood, dripping at my fingers. Oh my God. I have to get this fixed fast...

I staggered over to where my phone screen was winking brightly, a spotlight in the black. The grey spots still lit up in my sight, and I hit a tree on my way over. There were a bunch of messages from Destri, sent ten minutes ago. It had seemed like hours, days... "That's an old photo." The next was "Where are you?" The last one was something like, "Get your ass back here now or I'm gonna look for it and make you realize that next time you don't lie to me and you answer me right away, got it?"

Whatever. I walked stiffly to my shirt and jacket, trying not to bend to keep the cuts from stretching. The shirt was what hurt the most, catching on the torn skin and pulling at it. The only thing it was good for was holding the blood. I winced as I slid the jacket on and decided not to carry the backpack on my back. Instead hanging it on my elbow, I texted back with "Coming". Stupid Destri.

The sunlight was not as welcoming as I had thought it would be. The greener grass, the sidewalk and the road, the houses lining the other side of the street, the blue sky... Like I had gone to Hell in fire and heat and death, and when I came back everything was going on like nothing had happened. Like I wouldn't be able to fit back in. I suppose maybe it's better that way, I thought, sighing and stepping gingerly through the grass back onto the sidewalk. Better get to Destri's house.

What had be put on my back?


End file.
